Ohio hospital settles suit over disposal of infant's remains

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A northeast Ohio hospital has settled a lawsuit over alleged negligence that indicated the remains of an infant that died before birth were disposed of without the mother's consent.

Court filings by attorneys for the Youngstown woman, Lytanya Wylie, and St. Elizabeth Health Center indicated the infant's remains probably were discarded with medical waste, not saved for the burial the family planned.

The lawsuit said Wylie was pregnant with twins, and one survived but the other died before her June 2013 delivery.

The hospital denied Wylie's allegations, though filings indicate that a pathology lab supervisor concluded the remains likely were discarded with other tissue.

Wylie sought thousands of dollars in punitive damages.

Attorneys for both sides say terms of the settlement are confidential. A judge finalized it last week.